Following the recent announcements on the successful restructuring of the Halle, VBG and Crewe facilities, Redefine International has reached an in-principle agreement to extend and restructure the GBP114.6m Delta facility. 

The Delta facility, together with the GBP199.7m Gamma facility, provides the majority of debt funding for the company’s UK government focused (formerly Wichford) portfolio.
 
The restructure will involve repaying GBP33.5m of debt associated with a portfolio of seven assets, which comprises the Lyon House, Harrow development site and six other assets let to predominantly UK central government occupiers. The seven assets will be released from security and will be ungeared going forward. The repayment of debt associated with the six income producing assets reflects a net initial yield of 7.6 per cent and a weighted average unexpired lease term in excess of 17 years.
 
The maturity date of the Delta facility will be extended to 15 April 2015 subject to Redefine International meeting annual disposal targets, which the company considers achievable, in respect of the remaining 16 Delta portfolio assets. The disposal proceeds, together with amortisation requirements, will be applied to reducing the remaining GBP81.1m facility balance. Further details of the terms of the extension will be announced once the agreement is finalised.
 
The present facility margin of 0.75 per cent p.a. will remain unchanged. The existing interest rate swap will mature in line with the current facility maturity date of 15 October 2012, following which the interest rate on the facility will revert to a three month Libor rate (currently 0.74 per cent p.a.) plus the margin of 0.75 per cent p.a. The company aims to secure an interest rate cap at a strike price of not more than 4.95 per cent p.a.  The facility has no loan to value covenant.
 
The terms of the Delta restructure are still subject to documentation and final agreement between the parties; however Redefine International says it is confident that all necessary conditions and approvals will be achieved on or before the facility’s maturity date on 15 October 2012. The GBP33.5m repayment is anticipated to be funded utilising part of the proceeds from the proposed and previously announced GBP100m capital raise, which is expected to take place in September 2012.
 
Discussions with the Gamma facility servicer are ongoing. Although the company believes that a workable solution will be negotiated, it is unlikely that this will be agreed prior to the proposed capital raise.
 
Greg Clarke (pictured), chairman of Redefine International, says: “The company has now repaid or is in the process of restructuring GBP254.5m of legacy financing facilities since the interim reporting period ending February 2012. The Delta facility restructuring will be another major step forward in reducing the company’s exposure to near-term debt maturities and government-let UK regional offices.”